A GARDENER IS THE SUM of every plot they’ve dug and the many plants they’ve grown — or longed for. In his new book, “The Gardener’s Mindset” (Clarkson Potter), author Stephen Orr shares the origin story of his own devotion to flowers, beauty and nature.

Inspired by the writing of previous generations, such as Vita Sackville-West, Elizabeth Lawrence and Henry Mitchel, Orr leans into the long-established tradition of personal garden essays and botanical enthusiasms, told through the affectionate lens of the four gardens that he’s made with his husband, Chad Jacobs. In the book, Jacobs’ charming line drawing illustrations harken back to Orr’s favorite 20th century titles.

Orr has tended pots on a windy exposed Manhattan rooftop, a shady deer-plagued plot in upstate New York and a garden in Des Moines, Iowa, where frigid temperatures, heat and humidity define the growing season. From these experiences, Orr generously and authentically shares his garden wins and losses, from finally cracking the code to growing annual larkspur to the disappointment of a carefully considered color scheme marred by a cacophony of early tulips.

Today Orr and Jacobs are making a garden in the sandy soil and buffeting wind of Cape Cod. It’s a landscape laboratory where the two experiment with plants, cultivate resilience and celebrate seasonal blooms and flavors.

“The Gardener’s Mindset” is both practical and deeply personal. In an essay titled “Rose Color Glasses,” Orr reminisces about growing up in Abilene, Texas, where he routinely “visited” roses to assess their fragrance. “I can easily imagine a neighbor spotting me from the window and telling their spouse, ‘George, that Orr boy is in the backyard again.’” Orr’s warmth and wit show up on every page.

In an homage to hyacinths, which Orr calls “horticultural oddballs” with “oddly unnatural-looking flowers,” he writes about first being seduced by the bulb’s heady fragrance then tracing heirloom forms back in history. After reading that hyacinths are the most commercially endangered bulbs, the author doubled down on his love for the plant and now collects as many hybrid and heirloom bulbs as he can source.

Interspersed throughout the book, 14 practical lessons, projects really, explore selecting “Bulbs for Specific Locations,” advice for “Keeping track of color schemes,” tips on “Planting a Gravel Garden,” and more, including how to compost efficiently and gardening to support pollinators and wildlife.

Orr’s remarkable photos of his various gardens appear throughout the book. Casual yet beautiful shots of the author standing among towering COVID corn, old-fashioned lilacs against silvered cedar siding and garden-fresh seasonal bouquets communicate an intimate relationship with the garden throughout the year.

Whether in atmospheric plant portraits or depictions of seasonal landscapes — from frosty beds in the fall garden to fresh spring borders — the author’s experience working alongside garden photographers is evident. Orr is the former editor-in-chief at Better Homes & Gardens, and was previously garden editor at Martha Stewart Living, House & Garden and Domino magazines.

In the “How to Photograph Your Garden” lesson the Orr shares pro tips and practical advice for taking photos of your actual garden that match the idealized, dewy images of our imaginations.

Along with plant portraits, working practices and references to history, Orr encourages readers to dig a little deeper. “Green Thumbs Know No Gender” examines societal tropes in the garden; “Hortus Conclusus” looks at gardens as a place of sanctuary in a tumultuous world; and “Rejuvenation” speaks to the fact that gardens are in a constant state of renewal as are we. “The Gardener’s Mindset” is a love letter to the analog pleasure of making a garden, written in the language of caretaking with respect and curiosity about the natural world. I found it to be a lovely read that I’m sure to revisit again and again.